Apparatus and method for random dyeing skeins of textile yarn



, 3,541,635 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RANDOM DYEING SKEINS OF TEXTILE YARN Filed Oct. 29. 1968 NOW 24,1970 w, J CRENSHAW ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WALTER I CEEYSNSVZNIZSIES: anc/ HEEM AN A. D u RHAM BYW 4 ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1970 w, RENSHAW ETAL 3,541,635

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RANDOM DYEING SKEINS OF TEXTILE YARN Filed Oct. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS; WALTER I. QRENSHAW and H ERMAN A. BLJRH AM ATTORNEYS United States Patent Olhce US. Cl. 8155.2 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A textile skein yarn dyeing machine having dye tube support means for axially supporting a plurality of skeins of textile yarn and for applying dye thereto, a rotor means for rotating the skeins in a predetermined manner and dyestufi supply means for supplying dyestufi to the dye tube support means. The improvement therein of a second dye tube means positioned below the dye tube support means to extend along the skeins in a predetermined position whereby a skein of textile yarn may be random dyed by rotating the skein while applying a first dyestutf thereto to provide a base color to all of the yarn and the entire circumference of the skein, stopping rotation of the skein and applying a second dyestuff by the machine to only a predetermined portion of the skein while the skein is in a stationary position, rotating the skein less than one complete revolution by the machine, and stopping rotation of the skein and applying a third dyestuif by the machine to another predetermined portion of the skein while the skein is in a stationary position.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically random dyeing skeins of textile yarn in one operation without removing the skeins from the machine.

Heretofore, in the random dyeing of skeins of textile yarn, no satisfactory apparatus or method has been available whereby skeins of textile yarn may be automatically random dyed such that portions of the circumference are dyed of different colors or shades in one operation and on one machine.

In the past, the random dyeing of skeins of textile yarn has necessarily involved a combination of machine and hand operations whereby skeins of textile yarn were placed in a conventional skein dyeing machine and a first color or dye shade applied on the entire skein of textile yarn along the entire circumference thereof. Following this operation, the skeins of textile yarn were removed from the skein dyeing machine and placed axially along a support stick or other instrument to be hand dipped into a bath of a second color or shade of dye so that a predetermined portion of the circumference of the skein would be dyed with the second color or shade of dye. Following this operation, the skeins were manually rotated less than one complete revolution around the stick or supporting instrument and another predetermined portion of the circumference of the skeins were hand dipped into a third bath of dye of a dilferent color or shade. The above operation resulted in a skein in which predetermined portions of the circumference thereof were dyed with various colors or shades of dye.

This procedure was necessarily time consuming, expensive and laborious to perform inasmuch as it required both mechanical and hand operations, the removal of the skeins from one machine to a hand implement, and considerable amount of time by the operators.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method whereby skeins of textile yarn may be simply and quickly automatically random dyed in one operation on a single apparatus to eliminate the ex- 3,541,635 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 pense, time consumption and other disadvantages of the prior operations.

According to this invention, the above object may be accomplished by providing a textile skein yarn dyeing machine having dye tube support means for axially supporting a plurality of skeins of textile yarn thereon and for applying dye thereto, a rotor means for rotating the skeins in a predetermined manner on the dye tube support means, and dyestutf supply means operatively connected to the dye tube support means for supplying dye thereto. The machine further includes a second dye tube means having discharge outlets therein and operatively connected to the dyestuif supply means for receiving dye therefrom. The second dye tube means is positioned below the dye tube support means to extend along the skeins in a predetermined position for applying dyestuff to a predetermined portion only of the skeins when the skeins are in predetermined stationary positions on the machine for obtaining random dyeing on the machine.

With the above apparatus, a method of random dyeing textile yarns in skein form may be accomplished by placing at least one skein of textile yarn in position for dyeing on the skein dyeing machine, rotating the skein at least one complete revolution by the machine and at the same time applying a first dyestulf by the machine to the skein for providing a base color to all of the yarn in said skein, stopping rotation of the skein, applying a second dyestuff by the machine to only a predetermined portion of the skein while the skein is in a stationary position on the machine, rotating the skein less than one complete revolution by the machine and stopping rotation of the machine, and applying a third dyestuff by the machine to another predetermined portion of the skein while the skein is in a stationary position on the machine, whereby the skein of textile yarn is randomly dyed.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevational view, broken away, of a skein dyeing machine of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view of the ap' paratus of FIG. 1, taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3-6 are schematic views of a skein of textile yarn on the improved skein dyeing machine of FIG 1 and illustrating the preferred steps in the method of this invention for random dyeing the skein.

Referring now to the drawings, there is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 a skein dyeing machine constructed in accordance with this invention and generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The skein dyeing machine 10 comprises a housing 11 constructed with side walls, bottom walls, a front wall and a back wall in the manner shown to form a dye bath tank portion 12 and a skein supporting portion 13 thereabove.

The skein dyeing machine 10 further includes a plurality of elongate, hollow, dye tube support means 15 fixedly mounted at one end thereof in the back wall of the housing 11 in the skein supporting portion 13 to extend parallel with each other and out from the back wall of the housing 11 and over the tank portion 12. By this arrangement, the dye tube support means 15 are adapted to receive and support a plurality of skeins of textile yarn S axially therealong, as may be seen in FIG. 2. Normally, the dye tube support means 15 are of suflicient length to support approximately ten such skeins axially therealong.

Cooperating with each of the dye tube support means 15 is a rotor means 17 for rotating the skeins in a predetermined manner on the dye tube support means 15. The rotor means 17 comprises an elongate flat plate 18 secured at its ends to sleeve members 19 and 20. The sleeve member 19 is rotatably supported in any suitable manner on the free end of the dye tube support means and the sleeve 20 is rotatably supported in any convenient manner on the other end of the dye tube support means 15 adjacent to the back wall of the housing 11, as shown in FIG. 2. For rotating the rotor means 17 with respect to the dye tube support means 15, there is provided a hub member 21 which is secured to the sleeve member 20 at one side thereof and includes a gear member 22 at the other end thereof and behind the back wall of the housing 11 which engages any suitable gear member driven from any convenient motor (not shown).

By this arrangement, the rotor means 17 may be rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction in the manner illustrated schematically in FIG. 5 for rotating the skeins S around the dye tube support means 15 by physically lifting the skeins S above the dye tube support means 15 and carrying them therearound.

The skein dyeing machine 10 further comprises a dyestuff supply means which is in bath form within the tank portion 12 of the housing 11 and includes a conduit 25 extending through an opening in the bottom of the tank means 12 and to a pump 26 which pumps the dyestuff from the tank 12 and the conduit 25 through another conduit 27 to a three-way valve mechanism 28. Leading from the valve mechanism 28 is another conduit 29 which connects with a transversely extending manifold 30.

This manifold 30 may be of an outwardly tapering construction toward each end thereof so as to equalize the pressure of the dyestutf, received centrally thereof from the conduit 29, throughout the manifold 30. Each of the hollow dye tube support means 15 passes through the hubs 21 and into the manifold 30 for allowing the passage of dyestutf from the manifold 30 into each of the dye tube support means 15. The dye tube support means 15 are each provided with a longitudinally extending slot or rows of apertures on each side in generally the upper quadrant thereof for the passage of dyestuff outwardly therefrom and into engagement with the interior of the skeins S, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 3.

Thus, dyestulf may be pumped from the tank portion 12 of the housing 11 by pump 26 through conduits 25 and 27, through valve member 28, through conduit 29, through manifold 30 and into each of the dye tube support means 15 for application to the skeins S supported thereon as the skeins S are rotated thereon by the rotor means 17 for overall dyeing of all of the yarns in each of the skeins S. The above appartus and operation thereof represent a conventionally constructed and operated skein dyeing machine. However, it is to be noted that this apparatus and the operation thereof do not provide for the random dyeing of skeins of textile yarn, but merely provide an apparatus and a method of operation whereby skeins of textile yarn may be dyed an overall color throughout.

In accordance with this invention, a plurality of second, elongate, hollow, dye tube means 40 are fixedly mounted at one end thereof in the back wall of the housing 11 to extend parallel with each other out from the back wall of the housing 11 and over the tank portion 12 thereof. These second dye tube means 40 are positioned below the dye tube support means 15 and include discharge outlets 41 on each side thereof generally along a horizontal transverse plane through the second dye tube means 40 for applying dyestutf to a predetermined portion only of the skeins when the skeins are in a predetermined stationary position on the machine.

Preferably, these second dye tube means 40 are located in such a position that approximately one-third of the circumference of a normal size skein of textile yarn when placed in the machine 10 will extend parallel with and below the second dye tube means 40 for exposure to dye applied therefrom. A normal skein of textile yarn is approximately 54 inches in circumference and when hung on the dye tube support means 15 will extend approximately 24 inches in axial length. Preferably, the second dye tube means 40 will be positioned so that the axis thereof will be approximately 15 inches below the axis of the top dye tube support means 15 and so that approximately 18 inches of circumference or 9 inches of axial length of the skeins S will be parallel with and extend below the discharge openings 41 in the second dye tube means 40.

In the preferred arrangement, there are provided twice as many of the second dye tube means 40 as the top or dye tube support means 15 so that the dye tube means 40 may extend through and between each of the skeins S, as may be seen in FIG. 1. This arrangement will allow maximum dye application from the second dye tube means 40 and insure penetration of the dyestuff throughout the lower portion of the skeins S which are exposed to the dye being applied from the second dye tube means 40. However, the same number of second dye tube means 40 as dye tube support means 15 could be utilized and would be placed in position to extend through the skeins S.

The second dye tube means 40 are each connected to a common manifold 42 which extends transversely of each of the dye tube means 40 and may be of an outwardly tapering construction to equalize the pressure of the dye therein which is received centrally thereof from a conduit 43 which connects the manifold 42 with the three-way valve member 28. The discharge openings 41, which may be either circular ports or elongate slots, are preferably of varying sizes and numbers extending from the manifold 42, as shown in FIG. 2, such that the pressure along each of the dye tube means 40 will be equalized and so that the dye applied therefrom will be under the same pressure for all of the skeins.

With the above arranged apparatus, the novel method of this invention may be practiced which includes placing skeins of textile yarn axially along and suported by the dye tube suport means 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. These skeins of textile yarn axially along and supported by the dye tube support means 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. These skeins S are rotated on the dye tube support means 15 by the rotor means 17 and at the same time, a first dyestuff is applied thereto from the top dye tube support means 15 or from both the top dye tube support means 15 and the bottom or second dye tube means 40, if desired. This is accomplished by placing a suitable dye bath in the tank portion 12 of the housing 11 and pumping the same from the tank portion 12 to conduit 25 by pump 26. From pump 26, the dyestulf passes through the three-way valve 28 which is placed in the proper position for allowing the dyestutf to pass either through conduit 29 or through conduits 29 and 43 to manifold 30 or manifolds 30 and 42 for passage into the dye tube support means 15 or the dye tube support means 15 and the dye tube means 40. The dyestuif is then applied from the dye tube sup port means 15 or the dye tube support means 15 and the dye tube means 40 onto the skeins S as they are rotated therearound by the rotor means 17, as indicated schematically in FIG. 3.

After the first dyestutf has been applied to the skeins S, the rotor means 17 is stopped and the dyestutf is removed from the tank portion 12. A second dye bath is then prepared and placed in the tank portion 12 and is pumped from the tank 12 to the second dye tube means 40 through the three-way valve member 28 which is placed in a position for communication between the conduits 27 and 43 only. The second dyestutf is then applied through the dye tube means 40 to the portion of the skeins S which are parallel with and below the dye tube means 40, as indicated schematically in FIG. 4, while the skeins S are in a stationary position. Preferably, this portion of the skeins S is the bottom one-third of the circumference thereof.

The second dye bath is then removed from the tank portion 12 and a third dye bath is prepared and placed therein. The skeins are then rotated, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 5, less than one revolution by the rotor means 17 and preferably approximately one-third revolution so that a second portion thereof is positioned parallel with and below the discharge outlets 41 in the second dye tube means 40. The third dyestuff is then pumped into the dye tube means 40 and applied to the lower portion of the skeins S, preferably the bottom one-third portion of their circumferences, as indicated schematically in FIG. 6.

As a result of the above operation, the skeins will be random dyed such that preferably a first approximately one-third portion of their circumferences contains the first dyes-tuif only, a second approximately one-third portion of their circumferences contains a combination of the first and second dyestuffs and a third approximately one-third portion of their circumferences contains a combination of the first and third dyestuffs. This is illustrated schematically by the crosshatching in FIGS. 3-6.

The above skein dyeing mcahine may also include automatic programming apparatus which can cycle the above operations automatically and avoid the necessity of manual programming thereof by an operator. Also, the tank portion 12 of the housing 11 of the machine 10 may also be suitably connected to a plurality of dyestuff tank means such that the dye baths may be automatically furnished to the dye tank portion 12 during the automatic cycling of the machine.

Thus, it may be seen that an improved apparatus and method are provided whereby skeins of textile yarn may be automatically and easily random dyed in one operation without removing the skeins from the machine.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Method for automatically random dyeing textile yarn in skein form, said method comprising:

(a) placing at least one skein of textile yarn in a position for dyeing on a skein dyeing machine;

(b) rotating said skein at least one complete revolution by said machine and at the same time applying a first dyestuff by said machine to said skein for providing a base color to all of the yarn and the entire circumference of said skein;

(c) stopping rotation of said skein;

(d) applying a second dyestuff by said machine to only a predetermined portion of said skein while said skein is a stationary position on said machine;

(e) rotating said skein less than one complete revolution by said machine and stopping rotation of said skein; and

(f) applying a third dyestutf by said machine to another predetermined portion of said skein while said skein in a stationary position on said machine;

whereby said skein is random dyed.

2. Method for automatically random dyeing textile yarn in skein form, said method comprising:

(a) placing at least one skein of textile yarn on a skein dyeing machine;

(b) rotating said skein at least one revolution by said machine and at same time applying a first dyest-uif by said machine to said skein for providing a base color to all of the yarn and the entire circumference of said skein;

(c) stopping rotation of said skein;

(d) applying a second dyestutf by said machine to approximately the bottom one-third portion of the circumference of said skein while said skein is in a stationary position on said machine;

(e) rotating said skein by said machine approximately one-third revolution and stopping rotation of said skein; and

(f) applying a third dyestuff by said machine to approximately the bottom one-third portion of the circumference of said skein while said skein is in a stationary position on said machine;

whereby said skein is random dyed such that a first approximately one-third portion of its circumference contains said first dyestutf, a second approximately one-third portion of its circumference contains a combination of said first and second dyestuffs, and a third approximately onethird portion of its circumference contains a combination of said first and third dyestuffs.

3. In a textile skein yarn dyeing machine having dye tube support means for axially supporting a plurality of skeins of textile yarn thereon and for applying dye thereto, a rotor means for rotating said skeins in a predetermined manner on said dye tube support means, and dyestuff supply means operatively connected to said dye tube support means; the improvement of second dye tube means having discharge outlets therein positioned approximately along a horizontal, transverse plane therethrough and being operatively connected to said dyestuff supply means, said second dye tube means being located in said machine in such a position that approximately one-third of the circumference of a normal size skein of textile yarn when placed in said machine will extend parallel with and below said second dye tube means for applying dyestuif thereto when said skeins are in a predetermined stationary position on said machine for random dyeing of the textile yarn in said skeins, said discharge outlets in said second dye tube means being of varying sizes and arranged in such a manner as to equalize pressure of the dye as it is applied through said second dye tube means, said dyestuif supply means including valve means for controlling the supply of dyestutf to said first and second dye tube means alternatively and together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,305 5/1933 Butterworth et al 68206 1,986,626 1/1935 Drum et a1 68-206 2,043,870 6/1936 Webber 8-'155.2 XR 2,168,479 8/1939 Johnson et al. 68206 XR 2.573,047 10/1951 Neu 6'8206 3,363,845 1/ 1968 Pierce 239-561 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 226,688 10/ 191-0 Germany.

279,236 10/1927 Great Britain. 490,514 2/ 1954 Italy. 133,167 -8/ 1929 Switzerland.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 68206 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 541, 635 Dated November 24, 1970 Walter J. Crenshaw and Herman A. Durham It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4., line 37, "suported" should be -supported.

Column 4, line 38, "suport" should be --support-; line 38, delete "These" (last word on the line). Column 4, delete lines 39 and 40. Column 5, line 18, "mcahine" should be -machine--. Column 5, Claim 1, line 50, after "is" insert in--; line 55, after "skein" (second occurrence) insert -is-. Column 5, Claim 2, line 63, befol "same" insert -the--.

\ Anew WILLIAM E. sewn-m. Ancsting Officer Gomissioner of Patn 

